


Puppy Love

by Spirit_catcher



Category: Star Trek
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-28 22:31:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13913526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spirit_catcher/pseuds/Spirit_catcher
Summary: Captain James T. Kirk is better with animals than people.





	Puppy Love

**Author's Note:**

> I know how small the chances of recognizable dogs developing independently on another planet is, but... Let's just say this is a Federation world that acquired dogs through an act of giving, or that the dog isn't a dog but a similar animal that has the place of domestic or working dogs in the lives of the people in this world, or... I don't know. :D
> 
> I think I settled on the latter, because I have Kirk referring to the domestic creature as a "dog-thing".
> 
> Also, their shifts are probably staggered and not the same as each other's, but that's the way it seemed in TOS, so meh.

Negotiations were underway, and successfully so. A lot of which had to do with the indigenous leader's approval of Kirk's love for the palace dog. And how much said dog approved of Kirk and the attention.

"Fascinating", Spock finally commented, "The Captain is far more socially adept at interacting with – and appropriately treating – animals than he is with members of his own species."

"Women", Uhura corrected mildly from his side. "He's mostly harmless, but…"

She trailed off at the Vulcan's nod of understanding.

"Look," the doctor shifted uncomfortably beside them, "I'm defending him as a person… And because he's my friend… So hear me out, anyway. Please", he added at Uhura's eye-roll and the slight turn of Spock's head that indicated he was planning to do otherwise. "I haven't known him all that long. He doesn't let many people know him. And he won't tell me in so many ways, but that kid's been hurt real bad. Once. Maybe more than once. I dunno. But what he does and who he is now is done so he doesn't ever get hit down by anyone ever again. So stop making him out to be a man hater/user/abuser."

"That is a very strong term you use there, Doctor."

"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure what all the adult males in his life did to him was pretty strong, too. Don't tell me you haven't come to the same conclusion, Communications Officer, because we both know that's bull."

Uhura's silence said it all. She pursed her lips and tried to take the assumption back a number of notches. "Then why are you – a fully grown adult male, at least by physical standards – his best friend?"

"Because he let me."

Uhura snorted. McCoy leaned forward angrily, going around Spock to do so.

"'Cause I'm the only male role model he's got. And as that adult male role model I should probably right about now – JIM, that's enough petting the dog, you have no idea where it's been!"

"Yes, Mom", Kirk responded, trying but failing to sound dutiful. Uhura returned his grin, but with one not so cocky.

"Hey, Spock." Easy grin. "How's it going?"

Doctor McCoy had not realised until now how stiff Spock had gotten.

"Excuse me, Captain, I must go."

Kirk watched Spock go, knowing any protest would be futile. He then round on McCoy, suspicion all over his face.

"Alright, what've you done?"

McCoy pulled off an impressive bristling effect for someone who had been expecting such a confrontation.

"What d'you mean, what've I done?" McCoy, tone a little too harsh in his grumbling, looked over at Uhura with his still folded.

"Well, I wasn't doing anything except petting a dog-hing, so it must've been you – Oh, hang on, wait a second. By petting a dog, did I somehow do something against Spock's people? Or did his mom have a dog I didn't know about?"

He directed this at Uhura, who just looked at him. A little too sadly for usual.

"I suspect there is a lot you don't know about him", she said. "Though you have surpassed my expectations by getting on speaking terms with him, so I'll give you that." Her face finally broke into a reluctant smile as he grabbed her wrists and tried to make her dance over to pet the dog.

"Okay, OKAY, I'll pet the dog! But I will NOT dance – this is so undigni– "

McCoy left them to it, pleased to not be the attraction of his friend's immaturity for once.

"Have fun, Lieutenant Uhura! He's not so bad if you let him have his way for a bit, as that way he tires himself out…"

Later, at the end of their shift, Uhura gave Kirk a reassuring hug around the chest. He pulled a finger in response to the lucky sign he got from Sulu, and gave Uhura a tentative pet to her head as he eyeballed his First Officer for even a hint of help. He got none from Spock, who walked from the bridge ahead of them without a word.


End file.
